All In The Head
by EverwoodADDICT
Summary: Continuation of Getting Closer...R&R PLEASE!
1. Tears from Getting Closer

Madison pulled into the Harper's driveway. It was only around nine, but she had promised Edna and Irv she would be back by seven.  
  
Amy turned towards her new friend. "I'll call you later tonight about when to leave tomorrow, okay? I just have to talk to my grandparents and...parents, I think." Madison simply nodded and waved goodbye. Madison was in complete shock. How could this have happened? He was completely fine all day. All weekend. This had to be a dream – no, nightmare.  
  
Amy rang the doorbell, and Edna opened it. She was about to lecture her on missing her curfew, when she saw her puffy eyes and tear-streaked face. Amy started sobbing and ran into her grandma's arms.  
  
"Sssh. Honey, its alright. It's alright." Edna wasn't used to being affectionate, yet she rubbed Amy's back all the same.  
  
"No! No! It's not alright!" Amy choked in between sobs.  
  
"What happened Ams?"  
  
"Ephram is in the hospital. He had a seizure and he has a brain tumor." Amy was crying so hard she was hiccupping. "Grandma? I need to go home." ********  
  
Amy rang the doorbell and ran into Bright's arms. "Dude. What's with all the...hey! we aren't talking! Get out and off me!"  
  
Amy proceeded to sob. "Bright shut up. Ephram's hurt. He had a seizure and he has a brain tumor. And...and...and..." Bright hugged Amy back.  
  
She pulled away as he asked her the details. She had none. 


	2. All Alone

As Madison drove home, she realized that she had no one. No where to go, no one to talk to. When she was upset, she usually went to Ephram. She hadn't spoken to her family in years; she couldn't randomly call them to cry. She decided to just go home. On the rare occasion, her roommate Carrie could give some somewhat sound advice and be a somewhat sound shoulder to cry on.  
  
Madison unlocked her front door and closed it quietly behind her. There was a note on the kitchen table that read:  
  
"Maddie – I'm out with some friends. Might be back later, might crash wherever I end up. Just because I'm out doesn't mean your UNDERAGE boyfriend can come over and eat my food. Carrie"  
  
Madison rolled her eyes. She hated when Carrie called her Maddie. And who gave her the right to pick on Ephram like that? At the thought of Ephram, she broke down. She just sat at the kitchen table sobbing. What had she done to deserve this? What had Ephram done? What about Andy, Delia, and Amy? The three of them had already lost someone important to them in the past year. It just wasn't fair. Ephram was all she had. If she lost Ephram, then...then...she couldn't think that far ahead.  
  
Making her way up the stairs, she took off her clothing. She smiled at the thought that if Ephram were here, he would be taking them off, not her. Without even turning on the light, taking a shower, or brushing her teeth, Madison fell into bed. As she fell asleep, she made herself promise not to cry again for a long time.  
  
She honked her horn in front of the Abbott household to pick up Bright. It was 7:00. She wanted to get an early start so they could be there when visiting hours started. Once Bright was in the car, they drove down to the Harpers. Although Amy had smoothed things over with her family, she felt it was best if she slept with her grandparents tonight. Ease into the family thing again.  
  
Madison parked the car, and the three of them literally flew into the hospital. Amy spotted the Browns and Nina first. They made a beeline for them. If anyone noticed that Bright and Amy were on speaking terms again, no one noticed. When Bright gave Delia a hug, she barely cared. All she could think about was Ephram. Her big brother. Her bestest friend. She needed him. Ephram helped her breathe for God's sakes.  
  
They didn't even have to ask. They knew by their grim faces that Ephram hadn't improved. The real question was if he had gotten any worse. 


	3. Confessions

(A/N: THIS IS DEDICATED TO SHELBY!! =)...I'm going to be away for a month so I'll update when I get back!!)  
  
Finally, after about three hours, Ephram's doctors emerged from the double doors at the back. They made their way over to Andy, who looked as if he were half dead himself.  
  
"Dr. Brown? Your son is in stable condition. He will be going in for his CAT scans and his MRI in about two hours." The doctor, which seemed to be the leader of the two, turned towards the rest of the group. "If you would like to visit him, now would be the time. Only one or two at a time, please. Too many people may overwhelm him." As the first doctor stopped to take a breath, the second doctor cut in. "Ephram is in a very deep sleep now, so please try not to wake him up. We gave him something to relax him a little." The doctors turned and left, with Andy at their heels.  
  
Andy quietly opened the door to Ephram's room. He silently sat down in the chair next to Ephram's bed as a single tear rolled down his cheek. "Ephram?" He whispered. "Ephram, please don't leave us. I don't know how much more death I can take. Or Delia. We all miss you." Andy felt as if he were about to break down and if Ephram woke up, he didn't want him to see him that way. He was supposed to be 'Super-Dad', even if Ephram had been drunk when he called him that. He kissed his son's cool forehead and walked out of the room.  
  
When Andy came back out, five pairs of eyes looked up at him expectantly. "I...I, I'm just going to run to the men's room." Andy turned and left. No one should see him break down. They couldn't he wasn't only 'Super-Dad', he was 'Super-Andy'.  
  
"Delia, would you like to go in?" Nina asked. "I can take you if you want." Delia shook her head. "Not yet. I don't want to go in yet." Amy stood up. "Do you mind if I go in?" Nobody minded.  
  
"Ephram, I've been one shitty friend to you. You were there when Colin was in a coma. And you were there when he died. And I've been nowhere for you. I can't believe it took something like this for me to realize it. Ephram, if you leave me....if you leave everyone here in Everwood....everyone loves you so damn much. What would we do without you? You make people smile. When you walk into the room, the room gets brighter." Amy chuckled slightly. "Wow. That sounded really cliché and pick-up-liney. But it's true, Ephram. You gotta live. You gotta be okay." Amy sat in the chair for a little while longer, just looking at Ephram and reminiscing on old times. Thinking about what an asshole she was.  
  
When Amy came out, Delia wasn't ready yet, and Madison insisted Bright go in before her. "Hey Eph-RAM. It's me, Bright. I only get really sappy once a year, and this is the one time. There are two rules, dawg. One: You gotta listen to me, because it's probably true what I'm saying. Probably. Two: If you remember this conversation, you may not, under no circumstances, use this against me." Bright swallowed the lump in his throat. Or at least tried to. "Colin was my best friend ever. We were like Mike and Scottie. Only shorter, and whiter. When he passed away, we became good friends. I'd like to think that you were even maybe my best friend. Even though you got laid before me. You DAWG! Oh, okay. Anyways. If I lose another best friend, I could get really messed. You don't want that to happen to Ol' Bright, now do ya?" Bright punched Ephram lightly on the arm as he exited, the lump in his throat rising and getting bigger.  
  
It was finally Madison's turn. She sat down in the chair that Andy and Amy had been in only moments before. She gently took Ephram's hand in her own, and tenderly caressed his palm. Tears fell into his open hand as she spoke. "Eph, I know you are asleep, but if you can, just listen to me. I've never known anyone like you. You bring out the best in me – always. You are one of the most talented and most special people I've ever known. I can't lose you Ephram. I just can't." Madison's nose was running, and tears streamed violently down her face, but she was too preoccupied to care. "Ephram, without you my body is cold. You make me warm. You make me whole. I love you, Ephram. Remember that always." She planted a light kiss on her boyfriend's lips and turned to leave when she heard a faint, raspy voice. "Madison. I love you too." She went to him, but he was already asleep again. Although her face was tear-streaked, red, and puffy, she smiled softly to herself. He loved her back. 


End file.
